Pope Expresses to al-Rahi his 'Keen Interest' on Situation in Lebanon, Middle East
إقرأ هذا الخبر بالعربية
Maronite Patriarch Beshara al-Rahi continued on Thursday his visit to the Vatican by holding talks with Pope Francis I, reported the National News Agency.
The pope expressed his “keen interest on the situation in the Middle East, especially Lebanon.”
Al-Rahi is currently on a two-week trip to the Vatican where he is taking part in the 2014 Congregation for Catholic Education.
He is scheduled to hold a second meeting with the pope next week.
An annual survey has revealed that reported cases of Christians killed for their faith rose by 77 percent in 2013 compared with a year earlier, with Syria accounting for more than the overall deaths worldwide in 2012.
Open Doors, an American-Anglo group supporting persecuted Christians worldwide, placed North Korea at the top of its list of 50 most dangerous countries for Christians, a position it has held since the annual survey began 12 years ago.
It was followed by Somalia, Syria, Iraq and Afghanistan.
13 February 2014, 17:24
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In particular, the Pope stressed his support for Lebanon's Taef "Accord" whereby the Muslim majority, consisting largely of Shiites who by themselves are a majority of Lebanon's population. The Pope told al Rahi in the presence of journalists, "Christianity is the scientifically proven religion; why, in Lebanon, one Christian vote is worth three Muslim votes." Later, the Pople's secretary, Moshe Flintberg, told journalists that the Pope meant no dispect to Muslims, saying, "It's not their fault that they are Muslims."
13 February 2014, 17:25
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I forgot to tell you what the Pope was talking about: the Taef "Accord" gives half of Lebanon's Parliamentary seats to Christians, who make up about a quarter of the national population.
14 February 2014, 04:26
05
chris.....
Are you counting the Iranian trainers, basij, guards in Lebanon so they become such a huge majority.
Where did you learn English? Where did you go to College? Why is your mind so binary and mono-sectarian? I bet you are educated but still illiterate.
14 February 2014, 02:31
01
Happy Valentine's Day everyone! Don't let this be a day of mourning, despite Black Valentine's nine years ago. We have a Lebanon to think of. Let's focus on that on a day symbolizing passionate love. Think of Mandella: if he could forgive his former enemies for the sake of moving on and making his country great, I'm pretty sure we Lebanese lack for nothing to do at least as well. "Lubnan baladun mustaqil, sayyidon 3ala nafsihi"!
